Blackwelder Tuition Fund

Tue, 2014-04-22 15:06 -- univcomm

The Boyce W. Blackwelder Tuition Fund for Church of God (Anderson) Seminarians

In June 1974, the General Assembly of the Church of God (Anderson, IN), on recommendation of its Special Advisory Committee on Anderson University School of Theology, adopted a resolution directing the church’s Division of World Services to annually raise funding from the church for the purpose of assisting Church of God ministerial students with the cost of their graduate training at the church’s seminary.

The intent of the Division of World Service and of Anderson University School of Theology is to implement this significant action of the General Assembly, thus helping to make possible quality, graduate-level training for every qualified student who has been called into the ministry of the church connected with the Church of God (Anderson). This fund has annually provided 50% of tuition (on a full time status) for Church of God graduate students at the AU SOT. Please see important information about this fund online.

Dr. Boyce Watson Blackwelder was born in Concord, NC. Blackwelder, an ordained minister of the Church of God (Anderson) followed God's call on his life to Anderson College (University) and the School of Theology. While attending the seminary, he was the pastor of the Arrow Heights Church of God in Anderson. Blackwelder felt called to continue his formal education after seminary and moved to Chicago to pastor the Belden Avenue Church of God. It was during this time that he completed his Th.D at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Blackwelder was a significant writer and scholar of the biblical Greek language. His scholarship and writing led to a faculty post at Anderson University School of Theology in 1963. For the next thirteen years, he wrote many books while teaching at the AU SOT and served as a visiting scholar at Union Theological Seminary (NY) and Harvard Divinity School (MA). He also continued his guest preaching across the country in Church of God congregations.

Blackwelder unexpectedly died in August 1976 while on a preaching assignment. The Church of God began its scholarship fund for seminary students in 1974. It was in 1976 that this important church scholarship fund was named in honor and memory of Boyce W. Blackwelder.

For a full biography of Blackwelder and his life work, read: Listening to the Word of God: A Tribute to Dr. Boyce W. Blackwelder, edited by Dr. Barry L. Callen (Anderson University and Warner Press, IN), 1990.